INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
“CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE “: Outstanding Achievements in OXFORDMUN by Choithram Group Delegates
August 12, 2024
Congratulations!
At OxfordMUN India 2024, held at FLAME University, Pune, and organized by MU20 School of Opportunity, 10 students from the Choithram Group (CSMB, CSNC, and CI) showcased their exceptional debating, diplomacy, and negotiation skills from August 9 to 11, 2024. Unlike other MUNs, delegates were prohibited from reading directly from their laptops and mobile phones. The Committees were chaired by alumni and graduates of Oxford University, UK.
The following students from CSMB received awards:
Vivan Mirchandani (Grade 11): Outstanding Delegate in SOCHUM Committee
Aviraj Singh Dhaliwal (Grade 12): Honourable Mention in UNEP Committee
Aziz Safdari (Grade 12): Best Position Paper in WHO Committee
Choithram School Notches First Spot in Asia
April 30, 2024
Choithram School was ranked first in Asia, first in the 15+ age group and fifth at the global level in the Topical Talk Festival organized by the UK-based Economist Educational Foundation. Students from 300 classrooms from 19 countries participated in this ten week Festival engaging in global discussions on top news stories and global issues with their peers. Nikita Gandhe of grade 11 was placed seventh in Asia. Additonally Nikita Gandhe, Khwaish Ghanani, Naman Navlani of grade 12, Ananya Singh Falodiya and Aarav Maheshwari of grade 10 notched the third, fourth, seventh, ninth and tenth place in the 15+ age group. Dieva Rochlani and Daksha Sharma were winners of weekly competitions.
Choithram School Achieves Gold Level Award For Its School Business Enterprise
February 24, 2023
Choithram School has achieved Gold Award Level in the School Enterprise Challenge 2022, an international contest run by UK based charity Teach a Man to Fish. The school received the award in recognition for planning, setting up, running an innovative school business and its contribution to developing business and practical skills amongst students.
As a part of the business enterprise ‘Good Earth’, students of the business team sold handicrafts from recycled material, compost from dry leaves and saplings from flower cuttings; all prepared in the school. The products were sold during the sales events organized in the school during Parent Teacher Meetings. The profits generated were used for gifting solar lamps to the villagers of Gram Shukrawasa.
Global Session Moderated by Choithramians With Élan
January 13, 2023
Aziz Safdari, Deputy Head Boy, and TanayMukherji, School Prefect, served as moderators for the Global Session titled ‘Being the Best Self You Can Be’, which took place on January 13, 2023. Jennifer Johnson and Jan Frolic, co-founders of Captains and Poets were the facilitators of the session. Captains and Poets is a ground-breaking programme aimed at fostering self-awareness, connection, and empowerment in various settings, including home, school, and work environments. Through an interactive approach, the facilitators guided students from four continents to delve into their inner Captain and Poet, allowing them to fully embrace their most authentic selves and realize their true potential. This initiative to empower the youth was organized by Globally Empowered, a UK-based organization that provides opportunities for young individuals to host, moderate, and speak at sessions. Aziz and Tanayskillfully conducted the session, receiving appreciation from both the facilitators and JasmaneFrans, the Founder of Globally Empowered.
Choithraman Emerges Runner-Up in a Global Contest Exploring the Topic, ‘For me, Learning a Language is….’
October 17, 2023
Dieva Rochlani of grade 9 emerged runner-up in a global contest organised by UK based Global Schools Alliance wherein students could submit a presentation, slide, artwork, video, or any creative work exploring the topic, ‘For me, learning a language is….’ Amongst the 550 entries received from around the world, Dieva’s remarkable poem captivated the judges. As a reward for her outstanding accomplishment, she will receive an Amazon gift card worth 25 pounds.
Choithramians Achieve Laurels in Poetry Writing Contest Related to SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
September 26, 2023
Choithram School students of grade 9 to 12 participated in a collaborative project titled ‘Poems for Peace’ (related to UNSDG 16) initiated by Douglas County School District, Colorado, US and US based Global Lighthouse Studios. The poems were evaluated by US writers – Hiram Larew, Brian Donnell, James and Linda Dickman. Poems written by Bhakti Sharma and Ojaswini Trivedi of grade 9 received Honourable Mention in Poetry Excellence and Emotional Resonance.
Research Papers Published by School Student
September 9, 2023
Nishita Raghavendra, a grade 12 student, has recently published two research papers in the fields of computer science and astrophysics. The first paper, titled ‘Impact of Language on Sorting Algorithms: An Empirical Study,’ was published in the International Journal of Computer Science Trends and Technology (IJCST) in July 2023. The second paper, titled ‘Exploring Light Bending near Black Holes: Visualizing the Knowledge’, was published in the International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews in August 2023. Nishita’s publication of two research papers highlights her exceptional aptitude for research and her academic prowess is commendable. We hope her passion for research will continue to thrive in the future.
Choithram School Has Been Selected for the Fully-Funded UK-Based Skills Builder Global Accelerator Programme
Choithram School is one of the six schools in the country to be selected for the fully-funded UK-Based Skills Builder Global Accelerator Programme 2023-24. The Global Accelerator programme will be implemented in the school for all classes from Montessori to grade 12 for the period September 2023 – July 2024. It will encompass a strategy for building eight essential skills amongst the students viz. Listening, Speaking, Problem Solving, Creativity, Staying Positive, Aiming High, Leadership and Teamwork.
The programme will:
• Equip teachers with the knowledge, tools and resources to build students’ essential skills
• Give students the language to talk about their essential skills with confidence
• Provide opportunities for students to learn, practice and apply their skills
• Achieve recognition for good practice for the school through the Skills Builder Award (Bronze/Silver/Gold Award)
The school was selected on the basis of a rigorous application process followed by an interview with the UK based organisers.
Choithram School Achieves Gold Level Award For Its School Business Enterprise
February 24, 2023
Choithram School has achieved Gold Award Level in the School Enterprise Challenge 2022, an international contest run by UK based charity Teach a Man to Fish. The school received the award in recognition for planning, setting up, running an innovative school business and its contribution to developing business and practical skills amongst students.
As a part of the business enterprise ‘Good Earth’, students of the business team sold handicrafts from recycled material, compost from dry leaves and saplings from flower cuttings; all prepared in the school. The products were sold during the sales events organized in the school during Parent Teacher Meetings. The profits generated were used for gifting solar lamps to the villagers of Gram Shukrawasa.
School Student’s Artwork Displayed at the National José Martí Library in Havana (Cuba)
January 31, 2023
Archit Malviya’s artwork was selected for display at the National José Martí Library in Havana (Cuba). His outstanding artwork was also displayed during the 5th World Balance Conference from January 24 to 28, 2023 organised by the José Martí Project for World Solidarity along with UNESCO. 1100 delegates from 88 countries comprising diplomats, senior academicians, researchers, as well as prominent intellectuals witnessed his artwork and appreciated it. Further, his painting will also be exhibited in every province of Havana. His artwork portrayed the universal ideals that José Martí, a national hero of the Republic of Cuba stood for – Liberty, Democracy, Equality, Unity, Peace, Justice, and Education.
School Student Emerges Runner Up Of Launch Report in Enterprise Adventure App, a Global Contest
April 30, 2022
Archit Malviya of class XII is the runner up of the Launch Report in Enterprise Adventure App, a global contest organised by UK based charity Teach a Man to Fish, UK. He will also receive a prize worth USD $750. Archit set up a Bio-fertilizer business called ‘Sanjeevani’ and made the product ‘Amrut Jal’ using natural ingredients as compost instead of harmful chemicals which can harm animals and the environment. His product was scientifically proven and tested to have the effect of increasing the yield and the growth of the plants. He contacted farmers’ unions and botanical gardens to advertise his product, along with joining Facebook groups for gardening enthusiasts. He plans to spend the profit on doing more research and development of the product. Watch his video here:
https://www.facebook.com/EnterpriseAdventure/videos/460701275887613
School Student Receives Business Plan Runner-Up Award in Enterprise Adventure App, a Global Contest
April 30, 2022
Srishti Jaisinghani of class XII receives the Business Plan Runner-up Award in Enterprise Adventure App, a global contest organised by UK based charity Teach a Man to Fish, UK. She will also receive a prize worth USD $750. Srishti came up with an inspiring business plan ‘Moral Mate’, a revolutionary business that seeks to instil wisdom and values among children and try to steer them away from a digital life. As she was concerned by a declining sense of ethics amongst young people, exacerbated by COVID, she planned her business to teach morals and manners to young children through story books, fairy tales and fun characters. Watch her video here:
https://www.facebook.com/EnterpriseAdventure/videos/4604712886300888
Dean – International Affairs, Ms. Raminder Mac Declared as Regional Winner (East and South Asia) of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award
April 23, 2021
The Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award is a global competition to recognise the hard work that teachers put in on a daily basis. Out of a total of 13,000 entries from 112 countries the jury selected six Regional Winners of which Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs was selected as the Regional Winner (East and South Asia). The jury comprised of an experienced panel of teachers, educational specialists, authors, as well as the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Press board members. As part of the prize, she could choose up to INR 51,500 (approximately £500) of Cambridge University education books.
School Student Emerges Winner of Best Social Enterprise Plan in Enterprise Adventure App, a Global Contest
May 21, 2021
Charvi Gangwani of class XII is the winner of the Best Social Enterprise Plan in Enterprise Adventure App, one of the initiatives of Teach a Man to Fish, UK. She will get a voucher worth 800 US dollars. She competed with students all over the globe and emerged winner in the overall top award. Charvi set up a social enterprise called ‘Amygdala: Let the Mind Bloom’ – a virtual space to support young people who find themselves stressed or struggling mentally to connect with other young people, share interests and seek advice. Congratulations Charvi for achieving this feat!
School Students Win Accolades in Menage-A Virtual International Fest
February 14, 2021
While participating in Menage-A Virtual International Fest, a global event organised by City Montessori School, Rajendranagar Campus, Lucknow in the month of January 2021 our school students Rajveer Lalwani of class 4 and Nikita Gandhe of class 8 secured second position and second consolation prize in Biography – My Family Mentor and Kitchenette competitions.
School Student Receives Certificate of Excellence in a Global Online Blog/VLog Contest
February 4, 2021
Rudransh Kantharia of Class 12 bagged the Certificate of Excellence for his blog entry, titled – ‘The Peregrination of the Psyche’ in the LOCKDOWN DIARIES – ONLINE BLOG/VLOG COMPETITION orchestrated by the ReachIvy Foundation in the month of September 2020. It was an international contest where participants from across 4 continents including countries like Mauritius, Brazil, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, India and more participated. The entries were adjudicated by ReachIvy experts from Harvard, Stanford, Cornell and other top global universities.
School Student Selected in the Student Advisory Panel of World’s Largest Lesson, UK Based Organisation
January 20, 2021
Deval Maheshwari, student of class 10 was selected in the Student Advisory Panel of World’s Largest Lesson, UK based organisation that promotes use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning so that children can contribute to a better future for all in the month of January 2021 along with other students from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Spain, UK, Ukraine and USA. World’s Largest Lesson works in partnership with UNICEF to promote use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning so that children can contribute to a better future for all.
Choithram School Selected as One of the 100 Schools All Over the Globe or participating in T4 World Education Week’s Global Showcase
October 9, 2020
Choithram School was one of the 100 schools selected from all over the globe for participating in T4 World Education Week’S Global Showcase (World’s biggest education conference) to share their learning and expertise to a huge online audience on October 9, 2020. Choithram School students and teachers shared their best practices on the theme ‘Building Skills For Life Through Experiential Entrepreneurship Education’ on October 9, 2020 and were proud to partner with UK based charity Teach a Man to Fish. The event was recorded and is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAvBodyMz38
Choithram School’s principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi was joined by two current grade 12 students, Dhruvi Nagpal and Nandini Bhachawat, a school alumnus Jyeshtha Mishra and the Dean – International Affairs at Choithram School, Ms. Raminder Mac. The event was moderated by Christophe Walder, a Senior Programmes Officer at the international education charity Teach A Man To Fish.
During the one-hour panel with an audience of over 700 people, the panelists presented how experiential entrepreneurship education at Choithram School equips students with the set of competencies and skills they need to succeed in life and at work. They presented the school’s Entrepreneurship Club ‘E-Cell’, and the school business ‘Good Earth’, which has been running since 2014 as part of Teach A Man To Fish’s School Enterprise Challenge programme. Mr. Rajesh Awasthi spoke about how entrepreneurial activities in the school viz. Entrepreneurship Cell, Campus Company and Business Enterprise promote work readiness amongst the students and help students to grow their life skills during their schooling years. Ms. Raminder Mac spoke about how these entrepreneurial activities are used as tools that are built directly into academic subjects. Jyeshtha Mishra, who was President of the E-Cell and the General Manager of the ‘Good Earth’ school business shared how these practical experiences equipped her with skills for the 21st century. Dhruvi Nagpal, who is the current President of the E-Cell and the General Manager of the ‘Good Earth’ shared how being part of experiential programmes enabled her to become an effective leader. Nandini Bhachawat, member of the Entrepreneurship Cell and school’s business, ‘Good Earth’ spoke about how these projects impacted her outlook on life and promoted active citizenship.
Dean – International Affairs, Ms. Raminder Mac Emerges First Runner Up in a Global Contest
October 4, 2020
The project titled ‘Ending the Silence Around Mental Health’ submitted by Ms. Raminder Mac,Dean – International Affairs in an international contest organized by T4, UK and Take Action Global, US based charity was declared second on October 4, 2020 . The teachers were encouraged to share practical ideas on how they could accelerate progress on the 17 UNSDGs. Her project encompassed discussion of causes and effects of stress by class 12 students in collaboration with Hasbaya Public High School, partner school of Choithram School in Lebanon, followed by germination of the idea of Amygdala, a global student led virtual forum by school students to help adolescents achieve psychological resilience and organization of international webinars by them. The award carried with it a prize amount of US$3000.
Choithram School Team Wins Long Lasting Impact Award in YuWaah Youth Challenge # ImaginationUnlimited
August 29, 2020
In the YuWaah Youth Challenge # ImaginationUnlimited pioneered by Design for Change – UNICEF team, Choithram School team won the Long Lasting Impact Award. Choithram School’s project titled ‘Amygdala: Let The Mind Bloom!’ competed with over 1000+ projects from all over the country. Charvi Gangwani, Nandini Bhachawat, Jigyasa Jain, Ishita Rochlani and Naivedhyay Mahajan of class 12 and Shrut Jain of class 10 were members of Choithram team.
Their project focused on mental health of adolescents which has been neglected, stigmatised, and overlooked. Students are not taught to handle such breakdowns and these topics are often less talked about. Being teenagers themselves, they empathised and identified with what their peers and friends were going through. They came up with a virtual forum through which they wished to eliminate this problem and create a society with healthy minds. With a global participation of over 200+ participants across 10 countries in the first international webinar organised by them, they were successful in bringing together adolescents and professionals from USA and South Korea on a common platform, promoting interconnectivity, comprehensive awareness regarding mental health issues and the stigma associated with it. Their collaboration with various student-led global organizations like The Scrunchie Project and SAMP Foundation has helped spread their message across all age groups.
Choithram School Wins International Award for its School Business Enterprise
February 22, 2020
UK charity Teach A Man To Fish announced Choithram School as a winner of the Best Annual Report (Gold Level) in India of School Enterprise Challenge 2019. The award carried with it a prize of $500. The school received the award in recognition of the exceptional school business planned in the school and its contribution to developing business and practical skills amongst students. More than 11,000 schools from over 107 countries participated in the contest this year: an international programme which supports students and teachers to plan, set up and run a school business.
As a part of the business enterprise ‘Good Earth’, students from Montessori to grade 10 prepared handicrafts from recycled material, compost from dry leaves and saplings from flower cuttings. The business team comprising of grade 11 and 12 students procured customised T-shirts and customised tea cups from a supplier outside the school. All these products were sold by the business team during the sales events organized in the school during Parent Teacher Meetings as well as outside the school viz., one catering to the Jain community and another organised with the help of the local Rotary Club. The profits generated were used for gifting story books and games for slum children near Bombay Hospital, stationery items for a local orphanage, food paper packets given with Robin Hood Army volunteers, geysers to inmates of Maa Kankeshwari Devi Old Age Home as well as solar lamps to villagers of Nayapura village who suffer from erratic power supply.
School Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi Conducts Session in AFS Global Conference 2019 in Montreal, Canada
October 14, 2019
School Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi Principal conducted a session on ‘Fostering Active Global Citizenship Amongst Students By Integrating UNSDGs Within The School Curricula’ for delegates of different countries in AFS Global Conference: Active Global Citizenship—and How to Educate for It’ in Montreal, Canada on October 10, 2019. Mr. Awasthi’s session proposal was selected from amongst hundreds of proposals submitted by experts from all over the world. He was once again the only educator from India to be selected for this presentation.
In his session he apprised the delegates how at Choithram School we integrate UN Sustainable Development Goals within the curriculum enabling students to address local and global issues with understanding. A plethora of activities at the school level viz. interdisciplinary projects, problem based learning, morning assembly presentations, club activities and collaborative projects with international partner schools help our students to explore UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as develop reverence for the human family. The participants got an opportunity to discern how UN Sustainable Development Goals when integrated within the curriculum enable students to come closer to the community. His session received acclaim from all the delegates who attended it.
School Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi’s Interview Encapsulated ‘In Conversation with the Global’
September 5, 2019
During his last visit to Stoke Row C. E Primary School, Oxfordshire, UK in the year 2018, our School Principal was interviewed by KushalSohal of University College, London (UCL) with a desire to understand how Indian schools can promote critical thought and global learning. Mr. Awasthi’s views on the idea of the awakened, global citizen are encapsulated in ‘In Conversation with the Global’.
Nandini Bhachawat Receives BP Global Stem Academy Scholarship to Visit Egypt
July 30, 2019
Nandini Bhachawat, a student of class XI received fully sponsored BP Global Stem Academy Scholarship to visit Egypt from June 27, 2019 to July 23, 2019.The Egypt BP Global STEM Academy, based in Cairo gave Nandini and students from all over the globe an opportunity to thoroughly explore STEM subjects, with a focus on technology and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Nandini conducted experiments, attended classes and participated in workshops related to sustainable development and climate change at Information Technology Institute (ITI) – a pioneering national institute that applies an empirical learning approach to technological development challenges. She also met with local representatives from BP, giving her an opportunity to meet and be inspired by people working in STEM fields. She was able to immerse herself in Egyptian culture and enhance her intercultural skills by living with an Egyptian host family, participating in Arabic language classes, as well as visiting ancient and important historical sites of Egypt.
School Principal Conducts Workshop in AFS Global Conference in Hungary
October 1, 2018
School Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi conducted workshop for delegates of different countries in AFS Global Conference 2018 on the theme ‘Global Competence: Our Future, Our Responsibility’ in Budapest, Hungary on September 27, 2018. Mr. Rajesh Awasthi’s workshop proposal was selected from amongst hundreds of proposals submitted by experts from all over the world. He was the only Principal to be selected from India for this presentation. Mr. Awasthi took a session on ‘Innovative Strategies to Develop Global Competence at the School Level’.
In his session he focused on various practices followed in Choithram School to foster global competence amongst the students namely, collaborative projects with international partner schools for students of different age groups, skype sessions, student exchange programmes, embedding specially designed intercultural learning curriculum where students of class 6 to 8 study about an Indian state and a foreign country in each term, integrating international dimension in the curriculum with UN Sustainable Development Goals, student centred projects like School Enterprise Challenge where the children set up a business enterprise, celebration of international days, national independence days and global festivals in the morning assembly. His session received acclaim from all the delegates who attended and was the talk of the Conference.
https://conference.afs.org/conference/program-and-speakers
Accolades in 13th Macfair International Organised by City Montessori School, Lucknow
September 12, 2018
Choithramians proved their mettle while competing with 72 schools from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India in the 13thMacfair International organised by City Montessori School, Lucknow from September 8 to 11, 2018. Charvi Gangwani of class X secured first position in Speech, Mariya Matkawala of class XII received consolation award in Scientific Character Speak while Geetika Chopra of class XII and Yukta Chaurasia of class X secured third positionin Math Tutor. School team comprising of Charvi Gangwani, Yukta Chaurasia,Tanishq Kekre, Purnima Pant of class X, Tanish Mukherjee of class XI, Geetika Chopra, Mariya Matkawala, Kavya Shah and Sejal Agrawal of class XII secured first position in Dance and consolation prize in Science Drama.
British Council Aptis Action Research Mentoring Scheme Award
March 11, 2018
Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs along with teachers from the English Department – Ms. Kuldeep Kaur Chhabra, Ms. Lavina Golani, Ms. Misha Sachdev and Ms. Ruchi Chaturvedi participated in the Classroom Based Research Mela organized by the British Council at Ambedkar University in New Delhi on March 11, 2018. The four teachers were a part of the Aptis Action Research Mentoring Scheme (AARMS) for a period of 12 months conducting exploratory action research in their classrooms under the mentorship of Ms. Raminder Mac who in turn was mentored was ELT experts Dr. Richard Smith from the Warwick University, UK and Dr. Amol Padwad from the Ambedkar University, Delhi. The teachers worked at enhancing the oratory skills, vocabulary, spellings and organization of thoughts as a part of creative writing exercise of the learners in their classes. Their work was appreciated by many including Ms. Amy Lightfoot, Assistant Director Schools, English and Skills – Academic (India) of the British Council and Ms. Jemima Hughes, Senior Academic Manager, Teaching for Success, Schools, English and Skills, India. The event was also a part of the International Festival of Teacher-Research in ELT.
Choithram School Wins International Award for its School Business Enterprise
February 19, 2018
UK charity Teach A Man To Fish has announced Choithram School, ManikBagh as a winner of the Silver Business Plan in the Asia Pacific Region of School Enterprise Challenge 2017. The award carries with it a prize of $1000. The school received the award in recognition of the exceptional school business planned in the school and its contribution to developing business and practical skills amongst students. More than 6000 schools from over 110 countries participated in the contest this year: an international programme which supports students and teachers to plan, set up and run a school business
As a part of the business enterprise ‘Good Earth’, students from Montessori to grade 10 prepared handicrafts from recycled material, compost from dry leaves and saplings from flower cuttings while the business team of grade 11 and 12 was involved in selling these items during the Fundraising Events. The profits generated were used for empowering 150 students of Sri Krishna School in Sardarpur (a small town in Dhar district in the state of Madhya Pradesh) with the resources needed for better living. The students established a library by giving a cupboard and books, six green boards, sports equipment and two sets of uniform to the students of this school.
The contest challenges young people to establish a socially responsible, environment sustainable, yet profitable, business at their school. This offers a platform for providing hands-on relevant education to students, at the same time as generating extra income for the school.
Choithram School is Reaccredited with the British Council International School Award For The Period 2017 – 2020
December 13, 2017
Choithram School has been reaccredited with the British Council International School Award (ISA) for the period 2017 – 2020 for embedding international learning across the school and curriculum. Students from Montessori to class XI were involved in multifarious activities throughout the previous session which aimed at providing them a window to the world within their learning environment. The collaborative projects with six schools outside India, viz. Stoke Row C. E. Primary School (UK), Immaculate Conception School (Ghana), Bay View High School (Pakistan),Beirut Modern School (Lebanon), Hasbaya Public High School (Lebanon) and El Mostakbal Integrated Experimental Language School (Egypt) fostered camaraderie between the students and brought them closer to their peers from different cultures.
Ms. Raminder Mac, the ISA Co-ordinator of the school received this prestigious award from Mr. Alan Gemmell, OBE, Country Director, British Council India in the Awards Ceremony in New Delhi on December 13, 2017.
Grants Application Filled by UK Partner School and Choithram School Approved by the British Council, UK
December 12, 2017
The application for Connecting Classrooms Professional Partnership funding filled by the school with its partner school Stoke Row C.E. Primary School, U.K. has been approved by the U.K. assessors with the grant of 3000 pounds enabling the head teacher and teacher of our partner school to visit our school in the month of February 2018. Both the schools will be working together on the collaborative project on UN Sustainable Development Goal ‘Zero Hunger’.Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs of Choithram School, ManikBagh and Ms. Gillian Fraser, Global Citizenship Co-ordinator, Stoke Row C. E. Primary School, Oxfordshire had jointly filled in the grants application which was rigorously assessed by the UK assessors to match their framework.
School Student Selected to be a Part of Global Youth Advisory Panel of School Enterprise Challenge
December 7, 2017
Appreciating the work of our business enterprise, the School Enterprise Challenge has invited a member of our business team on to their Global Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) to be involved in the development of the programme, acting as a voice for their peers and helping shape the future of the School Enterprise Challenge. The school has nominated Nikita Soni of class XI for the same.
Choithram School Emerges Winner in Sparrow Challenge, an International Contest
November 21, 2017
Choithram School, ManikBagh has emerged winner in the ‘Sparrow Challenge’ contest organized as a part of Climate Action project pioneered by Koen Timmers, a Belgian educationist of great repute. 250 schools from 69 countries participated in this contest. Class 9 students worked on the topic ‘Where Have All the Sparrows Gone’ portraying drawings, narrating incidents told to them by their parents and grandparents, elucidating causes for the disappearance of sparrows, expressing their anguish through self-composed poems and lastly making bird feeders as a small step to rectify the damage. Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs of the school was the facilitator for the project. The video encapsulating the students’ presentation is uploaded on the you tube, the url id of which is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unLspFOnt90&t=42s
Dean – International Affairs, Ms. Raminder Mac Invited for International Conference ‘Education that Pays’ in London
November 17, 2017
Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs of Choithram School, ManikBagh was invited by UK based charity ‘Teach a Man to Fish’ for the award ceremony of School Enterprise Challenge in London on November 14, 2017. She received the People Prize of School Enterprise Challenge 2016 on behalf of the school and the Inspirational Teacher Award during the ceremony. She also attended their 11th annual ‘Education That Pays’ Conference on innovative enterprise education in London on November 15 & 16, 2017.
She was one of the participants of the panel discussion, the title of which was ‘Lessons from the Front Line: Advancing Understanding: Teaching Skills for Success with Results’ which was moderated by Sally Walker, the Senior Programme Manager of the School Enterprise Challenge. She was also one of the speakers in the Roundtable Session pertaining to ‘Integrating 21st century skills into the classroom’. The session was moderated by India Jankel, Programme Officer, Teach A Man To Fish. The conference featured business leaders, education experts and international organisations. The speakers included eminent personalities like Martin Burt, Founder and CEO of Fundación, Paraguay, Steve Carver, Chair of the WinWin Group and an entrepreneur and Nik Kafka, CEO & Founder, Teach a Man to Fish.
Choithram School Students Win Laurels In 4th International Youth Convention on Commerce & Economics
November 11, 2017
Students of Choithram School, Manik Bagh won laurels in 4th International Youth Convention on Commerce & Economics organized by City Montessori Inter College, Lucknow. Competing with 13 international teams from Sri Lanka, Brazil, Nepal and 37 national teams, Choithram School students notched three prestigious awards in senior and junior categories. Purnima Pant of class IX bagged second position in Entrepreneur Expression (inspirational & motivational Corporate speech) while Prerak Murdia of class XII and Siddharth Sisodiya of class XI were declared second runner up in Business Quiz. The creative & innovative Business Plan presented by Prerak Murdia and Parv Birla of class XII won third place.
Dean – International Affairs, Ms. Raminder Mac Selected for Paper Presentation In International Teacher Research Conference
September 15, 2017
Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs presented her research paper in the International Teacher Research Conference held by AINET (All India Network of English Teachers) in collaboration with the British Council and Regional English Language Office, US Embassy on September 14 & 15, 2017 in Nagpur. She was one among the 43 educators selected from India, Nepal and Bangladesh to showcase their research work. Ms. Mac presented her work on the research question, ‘How will collaborative learning between partner schools improve eating habits of grade 6 children?’, a research project that she had carried out with her school students and the partner school Stoke Row C. E. Primary School, UK.
The opening plenary session taken by Dr. Richard Smith,Reader, Centre for Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick, UK of Warwick University on day one focused on Teacher-research: Why, Where and What Kind? Ms. Mac along with other AARMS (Aptis Action Research Mentoring Scheme) mentors were a part of the second plenary session on day one. Ms. Mac elucidated the qualities of a mentor based on her mentoring experience in the school wherein four teachers in the school are carrying out exploratory action research under her guidance.
Workshops on day one were conducted by Ms. Amy Lightfoot and Ms. Jemima Hughes of the British Council as well as CristinBleess and Clover Bolton, US educators associated with the US embassy. The second day witnessed paper presentations by 43 educators. On September 16, 2017, the AARMS mentors attended a workshop taken by Dr. Richard Smith, Reader, Centre for Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick, UK and Dr. Amol Padwad, Associate Professor & Head, Dept. of English, J. M. Patel College, Bhandara, India.
Choithram School is the Winner of Logo Design Mini Competition
September 13, 2017
Choithram School is the winner of ‘Environmental Award’ in the International Logo Design Mini Competition organized by School Enterprise Challenge, an initiative of UK based ‘Teach a Man to Fish’ organization. ‘Picking winners from the 150 incredibly varied and fantastic submissions was not an easy task for our judges’ remark the School Enterprise Challenge team. The logo was designed by Nandini Bhachawat of grade 9 and represented the hallmark of the school business ‘Good Earth’ in a very creative manner.
Choithramians Win Laurels in the International Youth Festival for History and Civics
August 22, 2017
In the International Youth Festival for History and Civics under Reflections 2017 organized by City Montessori School, Lucknow on August 22, 2017, Chelsea Sawlani of class XII secured first position in English Debate, Nandini Bhachawat of class IX secured third position in Group Discussion while Aastha Vijaywargiya and Anshika Bhargava of class XII received High Commendation award in Model Making Event.
Choithramians Emerge Winners in International Robotronics Competition
June 3, 2017
The students of Choithram School, ManikBagh proved their mettle and brought laurels to the School by winning International Robotronics Competition in the senior category in China organized by IRC League. The school team comprising of Nishchay Pagarani, Shashwat Vyas,Chaitanya Vyas and Pawan Wadhwani of class 12 competed with 10 teams of five countries viz. India, Maldives, Singapore, Bangladesh and China and notched the top position by scoring highest points in the competition.They received medals, certificates and Apple products. Director IRC Tarun Bhalla congratulated the winning team and invited them to attend the Robotic Conference in China. Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi appreciated the whiz kids for their outstanding performance and efforts which made them excel in the competition. The achievement has given a new identity to the school at the global level.
Choithram School Wins Laurels in Commonwealth Science Competition
April 4, 2017
Choithram School, ManikBagh achieved yet another feat by being placed third in the prestigious Commonwealth Science Competition organized by the British Council which witnessed participation of 46 schools across the Commonwealth, including Australia/Pacific, Bangladesh, Caribbean, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Singapore and the UK. A total of 14 teams of four schools each participated in this contest. Choithram School, ManikBagh had schools from Accra (Ghana), Lagos (Nigeria) and Dhaka (Bangladesh) in its team. 8 students of class the school under the mentorship of Science HOD Ms. Anshu Chopra carried out an Investigative Science Project with the target question ‘How can we prevent Infectious Diseases?’ and created awareness in the community regarding this. The four schools worked together, pooled their results, participated in online debates, teacher forums and shared a collaboration space on British Council Schools Online. The entries were judged by Royal Society, British Council and Professor Adrian Sutton, Professor of Nanotechnology at Imperial College London.
Dean – International Affairs, Ms. Raminder Mac Wins Inspirational Teacher Award of the School Enterprise Challenge at the International Level
February 18, 2017
UK-based charity Teach A Man To Fish has announced Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean International Affairs of Choithram School, ManikBagh as winner of Inspirational Teacher Award of School Enterprise Challenge 2016, the first prize in the teacher category. The award carries with it a prize of $2000. Being the Lead Teacher of the business enterprise of the school, Ms. Mac went the extra mile to hone the entrepreneurial and business skills of the students. Under her mentorship the school received various awards of the School Enterprise Challenge viz., the People Award this year and Special Recognition Award last year as well as awards for Video Pitch, Blogging and T-shirt Designing mini competitions. More than 5000 schools from over 100 countries participated in the contest this year.
Choithram School Wins International Award For Its School Business Enterprise
February 17, 2017
UK-based charity Teach A Man To Fish has announced Choithram School, ManikBagh as a winner of People Award of the School Enterprise Challenge 2016, the second highest award of the implementation phase. The award carries with it a prize of $2000 and one funded place to a regional conference organized by School Enterprise Challenge. The school received the award in recognition of the exceptional school business established in the school and its contribution to developing business and practical skills amongst students. More than 5000 schools from over 100 countries participated in the contest this year.
As a part of the business enterprise ‘Good Earth’, students from Montessori to grade 10 prepared handicrafts from recycled material, compost from dry leaves and saplings from flower cuttings while the business team of grade 11 and 12 was involved in selling these items during the Fundraising Events. The profits generated were used for setting up a library at BahuUdeshya Seva Samiti, an orphanage, gifting musical instruments to the visually handicapped of the Blind School and providing school bags to slum children of ‘Souls for Slums’ Charitable Society.
The contest challenges young people to establish a socially responsible, environment sustainable, yet profitable, business at their school. This offers a platform for providing hands-on relevant education to students, at the same time as generating extra income for the school.
School Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi Attends International Conference VII Forum on Intercultural Learning & Exchange in Italy
November 6, 2016
The school is in the process of establishing a Department of Intercultural Learning to equip the students with requisite skills to develop intercultural competence. In this context, our School Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi, had the privilege of attending the International Conference VII Forum on Intercultural Learning and Exchange in Colle Val d’Elsa in Italy from November 3 to 5, 2016 focusing on ‘Should intercultural learning be a separate subject in the curriculum of pupils or should it cut across all subjects?’, ‘Which initial intercultural training should be available for teachers, methodologies, content and should it be part of their in-service training?, ‘How to check/assess the outcome?’ and ‘How to promote teacher exchanges and partnerships ?’
Being a part of Teacher Advisory Panel of School Enterprise Challenge
August 1, 2016
Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs has been selected by Teach a Man to Fish Organization, a UK based charity to be a part of the School Enterprise Challenge Teacher Advisory Panel. She is one of the 13 members selected from all over the world to be part of the Teacher Advisory Panel. School Enterprise Challenge is an international competition that runs in 2900 schools in over 100 countries of the world wherein students set up a business enterprise in the school and distribute the profits for a charitable cause.
School Principal Invited to Take Workshops at Indian School-Dar es Salaam, C/o. High Commission of India, Tanzania
June 20, 2016
On the kind invite of the Principal, Indian School-Dar es Salaam, C/o. High Commission of India, Tanzania; Mr. Rajesh Awasthi, Principal, Choithram School, Manik Bagh conducted workshops at their school in Tanzania from June 16to 19, 2016. The workshops mainly encompassed the orientation sessions for teachers as well as students. Mr. Rajesh Awasthi conducted enlightening and interactive sessions on ‘Personality Development’ and ‘Career Counselling’ for the students and on ‘Teaching Methodology and Techniques’, ‘Lesson Planning’, ‘Classroom Instructions’ and ‘Assessment’ for the teachers. The orientation sessions were supplemented with various interesting exercises on personality development, self-awareness, career preference record. The students and teachers participated actively during the exercises. Moreover, the students shared their personal experiences pertaining to the choice of career unveiling the vision of the upcoming youth.
Dean – International Affairs, Ms. Raminder Mac’s Work Published in British Council Manual
June 13, 2016
The school achieved yet another feat when the action based research work carried out by Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs with grade 6 students pertaining to the research question: ‘How will collaborative learning between partner schools improve eating habits of grade 6 students?’was published in British Council’s Manual ‘Reflective Practitioners – Journeys of Action Research from India – Global Teacher Accreditation 2015’.
Dean International Affairs, Ms. Raminder Mac Receives Accolades from the British Council for her Work on ‘Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skill’
June 13, 2016
Ms. Raminder Mac attended ‘Reflection Session of Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skill’ organized by the British Council along with 130 other participants from the country on June 13, 2016 in New Delhi. The 60 second video prepared by her reflecting her Core Skills journey was adjudged as one of the best entries of the contest. She has received the British Council Online Library Membership as reward of her work. Further, her work on implementation of Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skill in class VIII received appreciation from the assessors and was adjudged as one of the best learning designs. She has been asked to submit her work for the ‘British Council Handbook for Embedding Core Skills in the Curriculum.’
Choithram School Selected to Participate in Commonwealth Science Competition
May 26, 2016
Choithram School achieved yet another feat by getting selected for the prestigious Commonwealth Science Competition organized by the British Council. A total of only 10 schools from India along with 46 schools from the across the across the Commonwealth, including Australia/Pacific, Bangladesh, Caribbean, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Singapore and the UK have been selected for this competition. The selection was done on the basis of Choithram School’s partnership projects with other schools around the globe and an answer to the question that demonstrated a commitment to the Common wealth Science Class programme and international learning. The question answered by Dean – International Affairs, Ms.Raminder Mac was assessed by UK assessors. A total of 14 teams of 4 schools each will be participating in this contest. Choithram School has schools from Accra (Ghana), Lagos (Nigeria) and Dhaka (Bangladesh) in its team. 10 students of class 8 of Choithram School under their mentor Science HOD Ms.Anshu Chopra will be participating in this competition.
Each team of 4 schools will carry out an investigative science Project together, based on one of four themes (Renewable Energy, Global Food Security, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Climate Change & Rising Sea Levels), lasting approximately six months. Schools will work together and pool their results. Schools will participate in online debates and teacher forums and share a collaboration space on British Council Schools Online. The contest will provide schools with new ideas for learning, teaching, cultural awareness, international partnership working and school/country links.
Choithram School is the Winner of Special Recognition Award (Stage 2) of School Enterprise Challenge
March 4, 2016
UK-based charity Teach A Man To Fish has announcedChoithram School, ManikBaghas a winner of Special Recognition Award (Stage 2) of the School Enterprise Challenge 2015. The school received the award in recognition of the exceptional school enterprise planned and its contribution to developing business and practical skills amongst young people. 2919 schools from over 100 countries participated in the contest this year. The contest challenges young people to establish a socially responsible, yet profitable, business at their school. This offers a platform for providing hands-on relevant education to students, at the same time as generating extra income for the school.
The school students were involved in creating a melange of eye-catching handicrafts from recycled material and setting up a business enterprise titled ‘Handy Handicrafts Organization’. The profits would go to the school’s partner school Bwafwano School in Zambia for their School Feeding Programme where for many children their school meal is their only meal of the day. Ms.Raminder Mac, Dean International Affairs and Lead Teacher of the project remarked, ‘School Enterprise Challenge is an excellent platform to hone the entrepreneurial skills of the students by providing them experiential learning as well as brings them closer to the environment and community. Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi congratulated all students and teachers for achieving this remarkable feat.
Choithram School is the Winner of International T-Shirt Design Competition
November 30, 2015
Choithram School is the winner of International T-Shirt Design Competition organized by School Enterprise Challenge, an initiative of UK based ‘Teach a Man to Fish’ organization. The T-Shirt was designed by NandiniBhachawat of grade 7 and represented the four hallmarks of ‘Teach A Man To Fish’ organization viz. innovation, education, school businesses and skills. The T-Shirt designed by Nandini was worn by delegates from all over world who attended the international conference ‘Education That Pays For Itself’ in New Delhi from November 19 to 22, 2015.
Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs and Ms. KuldeepChhabra, English faculty, Senior School guided Nandini in designing the T-shirt.
School Principal Invited As a Guest Expert at the VI Forum on Intercultural Learning & Exchange in Italy
November 3, 2015
School Principal Mr. Rajesh Awasthi was invited as a guest expert at the VI Forum on Intercultural Learning & Exchange in Tuscany, Italy on October 30 & 31, 2015. The event was organized by Fondazione Intercultural Onius, the European Federation for Intercultural Learning (EFIL) and AFS Intercultural Programmes. The Forum focused on ‘The school assessment of the intercultural learning of pupils during and after individual exchanges abroad.’ A group of 60 academicians, intercultural learning practitioners, policymakers and school administrators from around the world shared their ideas and expertise at the Forum. They discussed about the theories and researches in this field, assessment of intercultural learning in different countries, role of organization’s expert in facilitating learning assessment and challenges and gaps in the assessment. Mr. Awasthi was the only delegate representing India in this prestigious Forum.
Mr. Awasthi took a session on ‘Self-Assessment as a tool for building inter-cultural competencies’ on October 31, 2015 which was attended by ICL stalwarts from throughout the world. He received a lot of appreciation for his research work on assessment of intercultural experiences of hosted students that will be carried out in three phases, viz., Pre-Exchange and Beginning of Stay, Mid Term Stay and End Stay. He emphasized on Self-Assessment of inter-cultural learning experience as it enables the hosted students to introspect and realize the challenges that they are facing while living in a different culture and how far they have been able to adapt themselves to the new cultural environment. Using self-assessment as a tool to evaluate the experience of students on an exchange programme, his research project aims at devising activities to develop inter-cultural competencies of the hosted students.
Choithram School Wins International Blog Competition
September 30, 2015
Choithram School is the winner of International Blog Competition organized by School Enterprise Challenge, an initiative of UK based ‘Teach a Man to Fish’ organization. The international jury commended the school for its diverse products that the students are creating from recycled material and selling as well as for the creative and entrepreneurial skills of the students. More than 2000 schools from 104 different countries participated in this contest. Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – Internationalism and Incharge of this project has been updating the blog on a regular basis with the technical support of Mr. Amit Joshi, Computer Programmer of the school. The School Enterprise Challenge has enabled young Choithramians to become business leaders of tomorrow, gaining hands-on experience of running their business ‘Handy Handicrafts Organization successfully. The link of the school blog is http://webchoithram.blogspot.in/
School Controller of Examinations Selected For Action Research Project of British Council & GL Education, UK
September 9, 2015
Mr. Amit Trivedi, Controller of Examination of the school is among the eight teachers selected from the country to carry out the Action Research Project of British Council in collaboration with GL Education of UK. Out of a total of 962 applicants, 250 were shortlisted for a skype interview from which eight were selected for this prestigious project. The research question selected by Mr. Trivedi is ‘How can qualitative reasoning skills of class VI students be enhanced by involving them in self-assessment?’ He also attended a two day orientation programme organized in New Delhi on September 7 & 8, 2015, the resource persons of which were Mr. James Niell (International Director of GL Education, UK), Dr. K. Pushpanadham& Dr. N. Pradhan (Professors of Educational Management, M. S. University, Baroda) and the Project Managers of the British Council Ms. Sharon Sequeria& Dr. Parashar.
Choithramians Bag Laurels in ‘Reflections- International Youth Fest for History and Civics’ at City Montessori School, Lucknow
August 16, 2015
In ‘Reflection – International Youth Fest for History and Civics’ organized by City Montessori School, Lucknow from August 10 to 14, 2015, our school team comprising of Manas Jain and Purva Bharadwaj of class X secured second position in Endeavour: a project on Community Service. The team comprising of Loveena Nimgaonkar of class XII, Rachit Raj Dangi and Disha Trivedi of class XI and Manas Jain, Sowmya Sukhtankar and Purva Bhardwaj of class X bagged the second commendation award in ‘Kaliedoscope: Choreography’.
Choithram School Teachers Awarded British Council Global Teacher Accreditation Award
July 9, 2015
Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean – International Affairs and Ms. Vandana Katyal, Primary Incharge received the prestigious British Council Global Teacher Accreditation Award for their action based research project spanning a period of six weeks. The research was evaluated by the experts at Cambridge Education Foundation, UK.
Ms. Raminder Mac received the Award with Commendation for her action based research for grade 6 students pertaining to the research question: ‘How will collaborative learning between partner schools improve eating habits of grade 6 students?’ Ms. Mac was one of the 20 teachers out of a total of 102 teachers from all over the country to receive the award with commendation. She received 6 commendations for her work being of consistently high standard out of a total of 9 for the various criteria evaluated by the assessors. Ms. Mac carried out the collaborative learning project with Stoke Row C. E. Primary School, Oxfordshire, UK.
Ms. Vandana Katyal received the award for her research work pertaining to grade 5 students that focused on ‘How can we foster critical thinking skills among 9 & 10 year old through Problem Based Learning (PBL) by targeting real life issues’.
Choithram School Principal Invited For International Forum in Italy
June 19, 2015
Mr. Rajesh Awasthi, Principal, Choithram School, Manik Bagh has been invited as a guest expert at the 6th Forum on Intercultural Learning & Exchange organized by AFS Intercultural Programs at Tuscany, Italy from October 29 to 31, 2015. The event will focus on assessment of global citizenship development, specifically how secondary schools assess the intercultural experiences of pupils during exchange programmes to different countries.
A group of 60 academicians, intercultural learning practitioners, policymakers and school.
administrators from around the world would be sharing their ideas and expertise at the Forum. Mr. Awasthi is the only delegate who has been selected to represent India in this prestigious Forum.
School Principal Attends Spectrum of Education 4 Career in Istanbul, TurkeyUnder The Aegis of AFS Intercultural Programs
April 27, 2015
School Principal Mr.Rajesh Awasthi attended Spectrum of Education 4 Conference on ‘Career’ and ‘Inter-Cultural Learning’ in Istanbul, Turkey from April 22 to 26, 2015 along with 38 educationists comprising of Principals, teachers and AFS volunteers from 14 countries across the globe. The Conference was organized under the aegis of AFS Intercultural Programs. The conference witnessed sharing of experiences and ideas so that selecting a career path changes from a problem to be solved into an adventure to be savoured and experienced. The participants also discussed inter-cultural competencies, exchange programmes and assessment of inter-cultural learning experience of hosted students.
Choithram Teachers Selected For Global Teacher Accreditation Programme of British Council
February 11, 2015
Ms. Vandana Katyal, Primary Incharge and Ms. Raminder Mac, Dean of Activities are among the 122 applicants selected from a total of 720 applicants all over the country for the prestigious Global Teacher Accreditation Programme of British Council. They will be conducting a small-scale action based research project for class V and VI students respectively pertaining to ‘Problem Based Learning’ and ‘Improving Eating Habits of Children’. The action based research encompasses the development of a new strategy of a new form of intervention that has the intention of changing the pedagogy in order to improve learning. They attended the orientation workshop organized in New Delhi on February 9 & 10, 2015, the resource person of which was Ms. Angela Cook of UK.
Bhavyangana Kanthed Wins Laurels In International Art Contest
January 16, 2015
Bhavyangana Kanthed of class VII has notched the second spot in International Space Art Contest 2015 organized by Space Foundation of USA in the age group 11-12 years. She is the only Indian selected in the age group 9 to 18 years. The jury comprised of experts from the field of Space Art, Children’s Art, Commercial Art of UK, US and The Netherlands.